THE EFFECT OF PERIODONTAL PARAMETERS ON THE SUBGINGIVAL MICROBIOTA AROUND IMPLANTS

The study aimed to examine the relationship between the subgingival fl ora around implants and their periodontal parameters. Plaque samples f rom 561 implants (297 patients) were analyzed by means of differential phase contrast microscopy and compared with the sample site's probing depth, bleeding tendency on probing, and plaque and gingivitis indice s. If possible, one implant with deep and one with shallow pockets wer e selected within the same patient. The impact of the intraoral exposu re time on the microbial composition around the implants was examined cross-sectionally, with the same group of patients. Only tendencies ca n be detected by the latter, and no concrete conclusions can be drawn. From the clinical parameters, increased probing depth was found to de trimentally increase the proportion of spirochetes and motile organism s, whereas the other parameters were found to be of minor importance. For partially edentulous patients only, there was a tendency for incre ased proportions of spirochetes and motile organisms the longer the in traoral exposure time. These observations emphasize the importance of the periodontal health of the remaining teeth (as a reservoir of patho genic microorganisms) in partial edentulous patients rehabilitated by means of implants and indicate the importance of shallow pockets aroun d implants (flap trimming when aesthetics and phonetics allow).